


Sunk Cost Fallacy

by ORLPridefan9312



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Gen, Past Relationship(s), Reunions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-26
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-04-27 20:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14433129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ORLPridefan9312/pseuds/ORLPridefan9312
Summary: Olivia and Carisi follow the car to an abandoned parking lot to see another car pulling up to the first one. The Lieutenant gets a closer look and her jaw drops when she spots the familiar blonde."Oh my god, that's Alex Cabot." Olivia said.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, for those who have read my 'WITHK' story and how Alex came back to Olivia after WITSEC, in this story, she, Natalie and Xander (who were also in WITSEC unlike the previous story) came back to New York, but Alex and Olivia never got back together in a romantic sense. I only own the original characters.

"Just don't do anything stupid or get arrest for this Mom." Natalie said as she rubs Allie's head while on the phone with her mother.

"Sweetie, you know me better than that." Alex said.

"I know, but ever since you and Liv never got back together after we came back from WITSEC, you've been...I have an idea on what to call it, but I can't say it because I have little ears in the room." Allie and Noah giggle and Alex slowly smiles when she hears her grandkids giggling.

"Give the kids a kiss for me and I'll be there soon, ok?"

"Ok. I love you Mom."

"I love you too honey." Natalie hangs up the phone and looks at the kids.

"Here comes the pajama monster!" Natalie joked and chases the kids up the stairs to Allie's room.

Olivia and Carisi follow the car to an abandoned parking lot to see another car pulling up to the first one. The Lieutenant gets a closer look and her jaw drops when she spots the familiar blonde.

"Oh my god, that's Alex Cabot." Olivia said.

A few minutes later, Olivia starts to walk over to Alex for the first time since 2012 when the blonde was the ADA for SVU.

"I figured you would be in Florida with Natalie and Xander, since they're both pro soccer players, and like the rest of the retired ADA's." Olivia said to her ex-girlfriend.

"Florida makes my hair fizzy. You should see Natalie's. Hers curls up, but she does put her hair into a tight bun for her games." Alex said as she starts to walk away from Olivia.

"Well, who wants a kidnapper with frizzy hair?"

"No one's being kidnapped. I only help people who want to be helped." Alex looks at the lieutenant.

"Like Jules and Ruby Hunter? Ruby is four years old, Alex. At the very minimum, you're an accomplice to kidnapping."

"I'm helping them start an extended vacation." Alex said.

"You faked their deaths. You planted evidence." Olivia said as they hide behind a car.

"Technically, the cops misread the facts."

"Don't play games with me, Alex please."

"They were abused. I do what I have to do."

"Jesus. Alex, Nick Hunter is sitting at Rikers charged with murdering his wife and daughter."

"It's not like he doesn't deserve it."

"How many husbands are sitting in prison because you decided to take the law into your own hands?"

"The law cannot protect these women."

"Yes and nobody knows that better than I do! I live there." They look at each other, trying to figure out what to say next to each other.

"Look, we both seen abused women. We put abusers in prison."

"What about the ones we couldn't?" Alex asked softly.

"You can't break the law, Alex." Olivia said.

"Why the hell not?!"

"Because it makes you a criminal. That's why."

"Are you going to arrest me?"

"Before I do anything, I'm going to speak with Jules Hunter."

"You wanna work on your soccer skills?" Natalie asked Noah in the backyard since Allie was at school and Noah's preschool was closed for the week and was suffering a concussion she sustained for the national team against Mexico.

"Yeah." Noah said and they get to work. As he kicks the ball into the goal, Natalie's phone starts ringing. She walks over to the patio table and looks at the caller ID.

Olivia

"What happened?" Natalie asked on the phone.

"You might want to come up here to possibly bail your mother out and get her to Florida." Olivia said.

"I told her not to do anything stupid. Ok, I'll be on the next flight to New York." Natalie hangs up her phone and sighs.

"Hey Noah? Do you want to go up to New York to see Grandma?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah!" He said.

"Come on, let's go pack." They head inside to pack and Natalie heads to New York with both kids.

Carisi is at his desk, trying to figure out more of the case when he does a double take and stands up.

"Can I help you?" He asked and Olivia looks over and takes off her glasses when she recognizes the person.

"I'm looking for -"

"Natalie." Olivia said and Natalie looks over and slowly smiles.

"Olivia." Natalie said then walks over to the lieutenant and they hug then walk into the office.

"Who was that?" Carisi asked.

"That would be Natalie Cabot. She's a big soccer star and created a Broadway show, not to mention one of the best songwriters in the country." Amanda said.

"Cabot. As in Alex Cabot?"

"That would be my daughter." Alex said as she walks into the squad room and heads to the office. She walks into the room and Natalie looks at her mother.

"I told you not to do anything stupid." Natalie said.

"Wait, wait, wait. You knew about this?" Olivia asked Natalie, who sighs.

"I had a feeling."

"Ok, when in the world did all of this start?" Natalie looks at her mother, who nods.

"Five years ago, I was in an abusive relationship." Natalie said and Olivia is stunned to hear this.

"She was dating a guy in college and they were great together. At first." Alex said.

"I met Kevin at Rutgers. He was charming and sweet. About three months into the relationship, I would show up to soccer practice with bruises and my teammates thought I was working hard at practice for it to happen. Until they saw the fingerprint bruises on my throat."

"We called the NYPD, the New Jersey police...nothing. So while Kevin was away, Natalie changed her number, moved out of the apartment and lived with one of her teammates on the national team in Jersey."

"Then Kevin shows up dead in his other girlfriend's apartment. Apparently, she knew that he was seeing me and four other women at the same time and put an end to it. Permanently. After he broke her nose, cheek bone and cracked her jaw."

"Now you know why I do what I do." Alex said.

"That I am going to be speaking to you about later." Natalie said to her mother and looks at her. Olivia looks at them and is almost looking into a mirror as she looks at the two of them.

"You're the one who said -"

"I didn't say do this! Jesus Mom. You have two kids and three grandkids who need you. One of these days, you're going to get yourself killed. Then what is going to happen to me and Xander? We already lost Dad to a car accident. I'm not going to stand on the sideline and lose my Mom."

"Sweetie -" Natalie walks out of the office and Alex sighs.

"She takes after you, you know." Olivia said.

"I know." Alex said.

"And she's right. You are going to get yourself killed if you continue to do this."

The next day, Natalie walks into the squad room and hears the familiar sound of her mother and Olivia arguing and sighs.

"Not again." Natalie said then walks into the office after taking the folder from Amanda.

"Enough!" Natalie said and both women look at her.

"Do I have to smack some sense into both of you? Mom, you cannot put someone away for murder without proof."

"He shouldn't have been released." Alex said.

"And Olivia, I got this from Amanda since she didn't want to interrupt you two and the squabble that you two are doing." Natalie hands over the folder and Olivia reads it.

"No skid marks and the car was traveling at over 50 miles per hour. Rollins." Olivia said and Amanda walks into the office.

"I want to know everything that Nick Hunter has done since Jules came back into the city."

"You got it." Amanda said then walks out of the office. That night, Natalie, Alex and Olivia walk down the sidewalk with Alex's hand in the crook of Natalie's elbow.

"So besides soccer, what have you been up to?" Olivia asked Natalie.

"I created a small Broadway show called 'Hamilton'." Natalie said and Olivia looks at her.

"You're kidding."

"No, I created the show with Lin-Manuel Miranda. I also was part of a small movie called 'La La Land' that had me win two Oscars for Best Score and Best Original Song."

"I knew you were good with music."

"She's one of the best songwriters in the world." Alex said. Natalie stops then squats down as Allie and Noah run over. She picks up Noah and Allie hugs her and the soccer player sees her friend doing a single wave and she does one back.

"The best part of any day is seeing these two." Natalie said as Alex rubs Allie's head.

"Oh man. I can't believe how much Allie has grown." Olivia said.

"She's going to be nine." Alex said with her arm around Allie.

"Honey? Can you say hi to Olivia?" Natalie asked Allie.

"Hi." Allie said.

"Hi Allie. I remember you when you were two years old." Olivia said with a smile as Natalie places Noah onto her shoulders.

"Really?" Allie asked.

"Of course. You looked exactly like your Mom and Grandma." Alex looks at Olivia and Natalie bites her lip.

"How about I give you two some alone time?" Natalie suggested.

"Thank you." Alex said softly and watches Natalie walk away with the kids. Alex looks at Olivia and sees the Lieutenant looking at her.

"You're a great grandmother to them." Olivia said.

"Thanks. Those two and Xander's son...they're my world. And...I'm gonna head to Florida to be the built in grandma." Olivia's heart starts to shatter.

"That's amazing."

"How are Parker and Emily?"

"They're both doing great. Parker is at Duke on a basketball scholarship and Emily attends Penn State on a soccer scholarship."

"That is really great. Sometimes I imagine my life and how...how I should have come running after you after the kids and I came back from WITSEC." Alex said.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I was scared to find out if you had moved on from me."

"I tried to, but...I couldn't. I never got over you Alex. And...I don't want you to go to Florida unless I go with you." Olivia said.

"Liv, I am not asking you to give up the NYPD for me. This is your life and New York is your home."

"Then I guess this is where we say goodbye. One last time." Alex nods and Olivia hugs her and neither women wanted to let go. Alex pulls back first and Olivia kisses her forehead tenderly as they hold hands.

"Bye Alex." Olivia said softly.

"Goodbye Liv." Alex said softly then walks away. The Lieutenant places her hands on her hips as she looks down then looks to her right and sees Alex getting into a rental car. Natalie looks at her mother from the driver's seat and Alex sighs.

"Mom -"

"I don't want to talk about it, Natalie." Alex said softly then looks at her.

"Ok." The soccer player turns on the car and drives off. Olivia quietly sighs as she watches the love of her life be driven away from her.

Again.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ok, we have to come up with a plan to get Mom and Olivia back together." Natalie said to Xander as Alex took Natalie's kids to the store with her.

"How exactly are we doing that? I'm not five and can't accidentally trip anymore." He said as he scratches his bearded jaw.

"You still trip over your own feet."

"Oh ha, ha, ha." He said with sarcasm.

"We get Parker and Emily involved in this one. Emily, despite her going to my arch rival Penn State, is done with training until June. I can call her or shoot her a DM on Instagram to have her come down here. You try to get in touch with Parker and get him here as well."

"Alright." The front door opens.

"A little help here guys." Alex said and her kids walk over and take a couple of grocery bags from their mother and kisses her cheek as Allie and Noah run over to the TV.

"Allie, you have homework to do." Natalie said.

"Oh man." Allie said

"You know the rules. No TV until homework is done."

"Ok." Allie walks over to the dining room table and works on her homework as the adults put away the groceries.

"Ok, when are you getting rid of that thing you call a beard?" Natalie asked.

"Not anytime soon. Why?" Xander asked when his phone pings.

"Xander, you look thirty when you're only 22." Alex said as Xander looks at his phone and puts it away.

"I don't plan on getting rid of it. And my wife has texted me that AJ is acting up. I gotta go relieve her." Xander said then kisses his mother's cheek and walks out of the house. Natalie looks at her mother as the former attorney is on her laptop.

"Why are you looking at me?" Alex asked then looks at her daughter.

"Nothing. Just...ever since you moved here a month ago...you haven't been happy." Natalie said as she puts away the fruit in the fridge.

"Ever since seeing Olivia again, I haven't stopped thinking about her."

"Maybe it's time that you stop ignoring your heart and listen to it." Natalie looks on her computer and sees an email from Emily saying that she'll be in Florida to help.

"Maybe you're right. So, when do you head to Chicago?"

"Tomorrow. I'm heading to the airport after dropping the kids off at school. I'll be back Saturday night since it's an afternoon game." Natalie said then looks at her phone.

From Xander:

Parker is on board

"Mommy? What's for dinner?" Noah asked.

"We are having chicken." Natalie said.

"Please tell me Grandma's not cooking." Allie said.

"Hey! I resent that remark." Alex said with a smile.

"Mom, you almost set my kitchen on fire last week. You're lucky I came home in time." Natalie said with a chuckle.

Olivia finds a picture of her, Alex and the kids at Christmas before Alex, Natalie and Xander went into WITSEC. She puts the picture on her desk and places her thumbs under her chin.

"You ok?" Amanda asked as she walks into the office.

"Just thinking about the next chapter." Olivia said.

"You're still in love with Cabot, aren't you?"

"I never stopped being in love with her. But she's in Florida now with her two kids, a daughter-in-law and three grandkids. Lately, I've been thinking about retiring and moving to Florida since my kids are grown. The three bedroom apartment gets lonely when they're at school."

"Go after her."

"It's not easy, Amanda. This is my home." Olivia said as Fin walks into the room.

"Liv, I've known you since the twins were three. You were more happier with Cabot than those other dudes you were with after her. Go be with her. We'll can handle everything here after you leave." Fin said.

"You sure?"

"It's time to get your true love back." Amanda said.

"And my kids just texted me. They're heading to Florida to see Natalie and Xander since they all started communicating with each other again after Natalie and Xander lost their father in 2015." Olivia said after checking her phone.

"See? There's your sign that you should be in Florida." Fin said.

"Ok, so this is the plan. There is a park here." Natalie points on the map to Xander, Emily and Parker on Sunday after she came back from Chicago the night before.

"Ok." Parker said.

"In the park, there is a gazebo that a lot people have used to propose or get married in. If we set up a table for them and have them sitting face to face for dinner, I think it could work." Natalie said.

"Just one question. If it doesn't work and it back fires?" Emily asked.

"Then we lock them in a closet and pray."

"Wait, how do we know that Olivia's coming?" Xander asked.

"I told her that Emily and I got reacquainted with you two and she's coming to visit. She also said that she has news that she wanted to tell Emily and I in person." Parker said.

Alex looks at the lake that Natalie's house is on during sunset and quietly sighs. She can't stop thinking about Olivia and how she wasted time not telling the detective that she was still in love with her. As she is thinking, Natalie hands her Mom a glass of wine.

"Thanks sweetie." Alex said then takes a sip of it as Natalie sits next to her on the couch.

"Despite the humidity, you liking Orlando?" Natalie asked then takes a sip of her Gatorade.

"It's really amazing and I get to see the kids grow up."

"But you miss Olivia, don't you?"

"I do. I was really scared that she had moved on from us three, you know?"

"Mhm. But you were never happy with Robert and I'm really glad you didn't marry him. Because Xander and I hated him." Alex looks at her.

"You guys never told me that."

"We thought you were happy, so we stayed silent. All we wanted was for you to be happy. A couple times, I almost went to the precinct to tell Olivia that you were still in love with her."

"Sometimes, I wish you did. So what about you?"

"What about me what?" Natalie asked.

"You gonna try dating again?" Natalie sighs.

"Honey, you know every guy or girl is not like Kevin." Alex said.

"It's not that. I'm just scared to know their reaction would be if I told them that I was in an abusive relationship." Natalie said.

"I get it. I really do, but you need someone to take care of you after the kids go to bed."

"I know Mom. I just...I don't know if I'll ever be ready to start dating again."

**Author's Note:**

> Should I continue?


End file.
